TEACHERS’ BLUES Makati City public school teachers conduct online classes during school opening last year.—INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — An executive order (EO) that will create more teaching positions and allow teachers to have higher salaries is currently pending before the Office of the Executive Secretary, an official of the Department of Education (DepEd) said Wednesday.
DepEd Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan said in a press briefing that once the proposed EO is approved, four more positions such as Teacher 4, 5, 6, and 7 will be created, with corresponding wages of Salary Grade 14, 15, 16, and 17, respectively.
“The Secretary actually presented that to the Cabinet and it was approved by the Cabinet, but its implementation required a close coordination with the DBM (Department of Budget and Management), the Civil Service Commission and the PRC (Professional Regulation Commission) until we were able to finalize the proposed executive order,” he said.
“We are awaiting the approval of this executive order expanding the teacher positions with teacher 4, 5, 6, and 7 and the corresponding higher salary grades,” he added.
In May last year, the DepEd also said it is working with the DBM and the CSC in revising the career progression system for public school teachers to help them achieve career and financial stability.
According to Malaluan, some teachers are stuck at Teacher 3 level because opportunities for the succeeding promotion levels are limited.
“Pagkatapos noon (Teacher 3) ay kailangan na ninyong tumalon for promotion to Master Teacher 1, which I think is Salary Grade 18. In between are may mga head teacher positions tayo pero alam natin na very limited ito, kasi head teachers or principal positions are just as many as our schools,” he said.
(After that, you will have to jump to Master Teacher 1, which I think is Salary Grade 18. In between, there are head teacher positions but it is very limited, because head teachers or principal positions are just as many as our schools.)
The succeeding positions also require higher academic requirements, said Malaluan.
“To be a master teacher is malaki na ang academic requirements, at pangalawa ay limited din ang items sa Master Teacher 1 because there is a ratio between your other teachers and the Master Teacher 1 in certain schools. Not all schools actually, as far as I know, have an item for a master teacher, so limited din,” he noted.
(To be a master teacher requires high academic requirements. Secondly, the positions for Master Teacher 1 is also limited because there is a ratio between other teachers and the Master Teacher 1 in certain schools. Not all schools actually, as far as I know, have an item for a master teacher, so it is also limited.)
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